Seeking a Path

Cailean followed Lex out. Lex. Cailean chuckled over the name. The shortened version reminded him more of Lexicon, which Lex seemed to be a living version of. If Cailean asked about the pipes in the tunnels, he bet Lex could tell him if they carried water, or sewage, or eel-lec-tre-city. He tapped a pipe and asked just that question. Lex tapped it himself, his talons tracing a seam.

"Cable. For the T.V."

Cailean grinned. Lex ducked his head and continued on their path.

They traveled quietly for a while. Cailean could feel Lex's gaze a few times, but tried to keep his own eyes forward. Surely he was looking through the magic... no. The small gargoyle was talkative. Cailean liked that he thought out loud, or at least seemed to.

Lexington led the way into a narrow set of pipe. He assured the taller gargoyle he could get through, as long as he folded his wings down. He tucked his wings around his body, under his arms the way Lex instructed.

This pipe rippled over the entire metal surface. Cailean had to crawl on his palms and knees, ducking his head and taking the occasional twisted bit of metal scrapping his shoulders. The pipe bit into his tender flesh. The sore muscles through his chest and shoulders groaned in protest as he used them to crawl. He did is best to rock back on his knees with each step. The dark so oppressive even gargoyle eyes had nothing to work with.

Lex's small form ahead collapsed so efficiently he didn't touch sides or ceiling, while Cailean felt his skin pealing away.

At a join of two pipes, he asked for a reprieve.

"Think we can find a different path when we return?" he asked, while blindly rubbing a raw knee. Damn. Suddenly he wished he'd spend more evenings out with Gabriel and the others hunting and wrestling and toughing up his body for rigors like this.

"Yeah, sorry about that. Was only thinking of the fastest way out. We can take a different way back next time. Are you hurt?"

"Nothing a little day light can't fix... I guess I'll have to find a perch outside for the day."

"I'm sure the Labyrinth clan can find you a place in the artificial lights. Its not quite safe out in the city during the day."

Cailean turned his attention to a cut on his shoulder. His fingers traced some rather deep ridges. "I guess I have a lot to learn about, huh?"

Lex put his hand gently on Cailean's forearm. "Hey," Lex's voice so soft it barely echoed in the metal tunnel. "I've only been awake in this century for a couple years now, and I've picked it up. You just have to be open to the experience."

Cailean smiled and put a hand on top of Lex's. "I'll try. As long as I have friends to help me, I'm sure I can figure stuff out." He looked down the three pipes, one they had come from, two they could go down. "Where to next?"

"Sure you're up for it?"

"Well, I've gotten this far. I've never been one who backtracks."

Cailean could feel some movement in Lex's body, then the warmth of the other disappeared. He followed where he led once again.

The first relief was of the light. Cailean stepped into bright star light. He reveled in the simple joy of being able to see his surroundings. He grabbed Lex by the talons and spun him about, laughing.

"Whoa!"

Cailean grinned and set the smaller gargoyle down.

"Gods, the trees. The sky. I thought I'd never see it again."

Lex snickered. "We're still in a drainage ditch, you know."

"Drainage ditch? This isn't a valley?"

Lexington shook his head. He scrambled up one steep, rock-lined side. Cailean crouched, jumped as far as he could, tried to catch his place with his hands, ended up sliding back nearly to the bottom. He hissed and clambered back up at a more reasonable pace. Okay, well, Gabriel might've been able to make that in two leaps, but he couldn't.

Lex waited at the top, offering a hand up. He had to lean his whole body against a bolder to help the bigger gargoyle up the last couple steps.

Cailean slumped on the ground, all his limbs limp and spread out. He could feel the muscles inside quivering with the exertion.

"Are you okay?"

Cailean opened his eyes and smiled at Lex's concern. "Yes. I just don't have much stamina, yet." His glance turned to the sky above them. What he'd assumed were stars above were actually clouds giving off an odd kaleidoscope glow. "What's causing that?"

Lex looked up. "Oh. The clouds are reflecting the lights of the city."

He thought back to those magnificent lights. "Who would have thought anyone could create such wonders."

Lex grinned. "If you thought those were cool, I have got to show you Times Square."

Cailean nodded and stood up. He bent over backwards, stretching his back out, and shook his wings. While a few trees grew nearby, none looked big enough to really give them a boost.

"We'll have to get out of the park before we take to the air, I guess."

"No, I think Goliath said there are some big trees. I don't come around here all that often."

Cailean looked around. "I guess I could climb up a smaller tree, get the lay of the land."

"We have a few hours until sunrise. We don't have to rush."

He looked back at the smaller gargoyle. He'd gone back down into a crouch, his gaze averted.

"So, Times Square?" Cailean prompted.

"Yeah. It's this way."

They walked in silence until they found a tree tall enough.

"Need a boost?" Cailean asked.

Lex made a rude noise and scrambled up the side, his strong talons digging deep into the bark and finding their own purchases. Cailean sighed wishfully. Time to try.

He took another leap and grabbed for a mark Lex'd left. His fingers barely caught. His chest screamed in pain. He gripped tighter with his fingers, whimpering as his weight pulled on half healed muscles. His toes caught on a rough patch of bark. He used the large muscles of his legs to relieve some of the pressure.

Cailean looked up. The tip of Lex's tail disappearing in the green.

His world narrowed to the next handful of bark, then the next and the next. He pumped his legs up, used them as much as he could to take his weight, gripped tightly with his hands, even shoved his elbow into the wood, but eventually, each time he wanted to go upward, he had to lift his weight with his upper arms. He closed his eyes. He couldn't bare the pain and process anything his eyes saw, anything he smelled, anything he heard. His talons trembled as they reached for yet another handful of bark. He screamed as the torn muscles gave.

A steel band wrapped around his wrist, dragged him up. He screamed. He wasn't the only one.

Cailean blinked his eyes open. Lex peered into his eyes, their noses only a cubit apart.

"You blacked out."

He shut his eyes again, felt for damage. The small cuts covering his body felt like ice shards, his chest and the muscles connecting that to his arms felt like like coals had been shoved under his skin, red hot tongs tearing his sternum up and away from his body. He could barely breathe.

Additional pressure suddenly added. He groaned, his eyes flicked open. Lex examining him.

"You're really hurt, aren't you?"

"Healing," Cailean said, trying to sound flippant. Probably failing.

He had no reason not to trust Lexington. However, that did not make him all that eager to let on just how much it hurt.

"I just need to get in the air. Fresh air, that's all I need." His wings could hold him, if they caught a strong enough gust, he could rest the other parts of his body.

"Hey, I just pulled you up to this branch. You're not a lightweight, ya know? I need a break before I can fly again."

Cailean offered a gentle smile. "My apologies. I should have thought of that. Can you glide, on those wings?"

The outer edges of the world grew clearer, brighter, the longer he kept his eyes open.

"Of course."

"There's a couple on Avalon who can't." He let his eyes fall for a moment, then opened them again. Darkness swallowed everything but the other gargoyle's face.

"You said you can fly. You sure?"

Cailean nodded, though at this point he wasn't certain.

"I think I know something that can help, but we've got to get into the air."

Cailean nodded blindly, gathered his legs underneath himself. He pushed off into the air. A warm gust caught him, lifted up upward. Lex only moments behind.

He breathed a sigh of relief. He'd been right. His wings felt fine, and letting his arms sag below him ached, but in an entirely new, somehow restful sort of way.

Lex wheeled towards the bright lights of the city. Cailean followed, leaving the trees and calm darkness behind. A bit of his earlier excitement came bubbling back. As long as he flew or walked until he had time to heal, really heal, this place could be filled with marvels, all for his exploration.